W3: Spelling: Development, Assessment and Intervention

Symposium Chair: R. Malatesha. Joshi, Ph.D., Professor,
Department of Teaching Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University

Welcome & Introduction
Suzanne Carreker, Ph.D. Neuhaus Education Center

Why 'FISH' Cannot be Spelled "GHOTI'?
R. Malatesha. Joshi, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Teaching Learning and Culture, Texas A&M University 
Emily. Binks-Cantrell, Ph.D. Texas A & M University
In this presentation, we shall present aspects of regularity in English spelling, assessment and instruction.

Learning to spell: Typical and Atypical Development
Rebecca Treiman, Ph.D. Washington University
This talk will review research on how typically developing children learn to spell. I will also discuss research on children who are dyslexic and consider its implications for instruction.

Break

Atom and Eave: Creating Better Spellers
Kenn Apel, Florida State University
Contrary to the traditional Friday Test approach to spelling instruction, a multi-linguistic, word-study approach helps children understand that nearly all written words are written the way they are because of specific phonological (sound), orthographic (letters, letter patterns, and mental images of words), semantic (word meaning), and morphological (word meaning relations) rules. In this session, writing samples from two students will serve as the foundation for discussing how spelling error analysis can provide insights into students’ missing or insufficient linguistic knowledge and lead to instructional goals that target those specific linguistic needs.

Lunch Break

Spelling Assessment for Classroom and Clinic
Louisa Moats, Consultant, Moats Associates
Methods for assessment include standardized, norm-referenced tests, such as the TWS-4; diagnostic spelling inventories; curriculum-based assessment of spelling in writing; and classification of student errors into phonologically inaccurate, phonologically accurate but orthographically inaccurate, and morphologically inaccurate. All of these have limitations but all are useful for varying purposes, including the design of instruction.

Break

Effective Writing Instruction: Spelling and Beyond
Tanya Santangelo, Arcadia University
The purpose of this presentation is to situate spelling within the larger context of writing development and instruction. First, we will explore the relationship between spelling proficiency and writing.  Next, we will examine an instructional program designed by Graham and colleagues which has been shown to improve the spelling, reading, and writing performance of at-risk students.  Finally, we will highlight the key features of effective writing instruction for all students, including those who experience difficulty learning to write.

Panel Discussion